INDIA

A student of the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) was arrested for allegedly posting a story on WhatsApp in protest against the celebration of the consecration of the Ayodhya Ram Temple on January 22. The arrest was carried out by the Govandi police station in Mumbai has arrested another student in the same case on 21 February, Maktoob media reported. The new arrestee is a 25-year-old student from Kerala. On January 22nd, the police arrested a 23-year-old Dalit student from Maharashtra who had shared a screenshot of another student's post. He was later released on bail after spending two days in custody. The charges filed against him under sections 153(A) and 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code pertain to promoting enmity between groups and outraging religious...

Gujarat’s Home Minister, Harsh Sanghavi, addressed the Assembly on Wednesday, informing members that the Bhupendra Patel-led government has demolished 108 mazars as part of a crackdown on encroachments believed to be “part of a conspiracy.” Sanghavi reiterated the government’s commitment to safeguarding temples from any malicious intent, Muslim Mirror reported. Quoting an earlier statement by a BJP MLA from Ellisbridge, Sanghavi remarked, “Today, the point mentioned by Amitbha.' He said that a derasar was removed in Jamalpur. Now, Dada’s (Bhupendra Patel) bulldozer is moving around in every nook and corner of the state so that no temple or devsthan can be removed while hatching a conspiracy. Nobody knows where will it (bulldozer) go.” Sanghavi addressed the Assembly while seeking ...

A journalist, Neil Bhalinder, has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, urging the registration of an FIR against Haryana Police officials. The journalist alleges that he suffered severe head injuries on February 13 while covering the farmers' protest within Punjab's jurisdiction, Live Law reported. According to Bhalinder, a tear gas shell fired by Haryana Police struck him during the protest at the Shambhu border, a location within Punjab's territorial jurisdiction that has witnessed numerous instances of violence attributed to Haryana police. The petitioner emphasized that Haryana police actions have subjected thousands of journalists to physical violence and gunshot wounds at the Shambhu border. Bhalinder argued that such attacks on journalists violate the freedom of...

On Wednesday, the Samajwadi Party revealed its decision to jointly contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections with the Congress. In an effort to consolidate non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) votes, Samajwadi Party leader Ravidas Mehrotra stated to ANI, "We have tried to stop the scattering of non-Bharatiya Janata Party votes. We will try to secure all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh." Mehrotra outlined the distribution of seats, mentioning that the Samajwadi Party would vie for 63 of Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress would field candidates on the remaining 17. Both the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Samajwadi Party are members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA bloc), a coalition comprising 28 Opposition parties united against the Bh...

A 24-year-old farmer was killed with a wound on his head at the Khanauri border after Police fired smoke shells at the thousands of farmers, demanding Minimum Support Price. The victim identified as Shubh Karan Singh was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead upon his arrival, news reports said. The incident of police killing marks a significant escalation in the ongoing protest that commenced on February 13, when Punjab farmers declared their intention to march towards Delhi. https://twitter.com/moliticsindia/status/1760272271170482223 Despite their attempts, the protesters were prevented from entering Haryana from Punjab. Before the confirmation from the hospital about the death of a protester, the Haryana Police on Wednesday after...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, while addressing a rally here, mentioned an upcoming movie about Article 370, emphasizing the importance of dissemination of accurate information. ALSO READ: ‘Redundant narrative’: Trailer of Bollywood movie ‘Article 370’ released on YouTube "I have heard that perhaps a film on Article 370 is going to be released this week. I think your 'Jai Jai Kaar' (cheers) are going to be heard all over the country," PM Modi said, addressing a public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium in the heart of Jammu. The Prime Minister's remarks, made during his second visit to the Jammu region since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, coincided with the film's imminent release late this week. While acknowledging his lack of familiarity with the film's specif...

A recent report by Oxfam paints a stark picture of soaring inequality, highlighting how the wealth of the world's five richest men has doubled since 2020, reaching a staggering $869 billion, while nearly five billion people have been pushed further into poverty. Titled "Inequality Inc.," the report was released just before the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos. It reveals a concerning trend: billionaires are not only becoming richer, but their influence on major corporations is growing. The report finds that seven out of the ten biggest companies globally are either run by or have a billionaire as their main shareholder. Since 2020, despite global economic crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, billionaires have amassed an additional $3.3 trillion in wealth. The fortu...

The north-east Delhi riots in 2020 claimed 53 lives. The riots were primarily bought about by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims, causing destruction of property and many waves of bloodshed. During the riots, four people namely Ashok, Shubham, Ajay and Jitender Kumar were accused of murdering two muslim men namely Ashfaq Hussain and Zakir. The alleged murders took place in Bijpuri on February 25, 2020, as the communal riots were knee deep. However, in a new development the accused have been acquitted by a court, citing lack of substantial evidence to prove that the accused were part of riotous mob. The two cases registered against the four men were heard by Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala. The court passed two seperate orders last week, which said that the prosecution were...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Jammu and straightway drove to the MA Stadium where a huge gathering has assembled to listen to his speech. Among the highlights, he will set in motion the BJP’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, where the party aims to secure three out of the five parliamentary seats. Modi’s itinerary includes the inauguration of various rail projects, distribution of appointment letters, and engagement with beneficiaries of government schemes. Notably, the inauguration and foundation laying of projects, as well as interactions, will be conducted via video conferencing. The rail projects, including the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section featuring innovative Ballast Less Track (BLT) technology and India’s longest transporta...

In Jodhpur, Rajasthan Muslim girl students were denied entry to a government high school in Pipar. The incident unfolded when these students, wearing hijabs, were barred from entering the premises citing a dress code violation. This action sparked outrage among the parents of the affected students. According to reports, the incident occurred at government high school number 2 in Pipar, where the Muslim girl students were stopped from entering by their teacher, citing the school's dress code policy. As tensions escalated, parents arrived at the school to confront the administration and demand an explanation. Allegations surfaced from the parents, claiming that the teachers not only refused entry to the girls but also behaved inappropriately towards them. One parent even me...